This invention relates to a process for obtaining in crystalline form the cephalosporin antibiotic known as ceftazidime. In particular, it relates to a crystallization process for the pentahydrate form of ceftazidime.
The semi-synthetic cephalosporin antibiotic ceftazidime, chemically named (6R,7R)-7-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-(2-carboxyprop-2-oxyimino)acetami do]-3- C(1-pyridiniummethyl)-ceph-3described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,041. The pentahydrate form of ceftazidime is a useful pharmaceutical form of the antibiotic and is described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,453.